Breed and Heterosis Effects on Carcass Charateristics of Angus, Brahman, Charolais and Crossbred Steers

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Abstract
Angus (A), Brahman (B) and Charolais (C) sires were mated in all combinations to dams of the same breeds in a 3 × 3 design. A total of 351 steer carcasses from the nine breed subclasses were evaluated to estimate average breed, maternal and heterosis effects on chilled carcass weight (CWT), thickness of fat over the longissimus muscle (FOE), ribeye area per 100 kg of carcass weight (REA), estimated retail yield (RY) and USDA carcass quality grade (QG). The steers were full-fed an average of 176 days from shortly following weaning to slaughter at an average age of 440 days. Mean values for the various traits were 2 36.9 kg for CWT, .74 cm for FOE, 27.9 cm2 for REA, 50.9% for RY and 14.5 for QG. Heterosis, in units, for the various traits for the reciprocal AB, AC and BC crosses, respectively, were 39.1 (P<.01), 13.4 (P<.01) and 23.6 (P<.01)kgfor CWT; .18 (P<.01), .01 and .06 cm for FOE; −1.81 (P<.01), −1.01 (P<.05) and −1.33 (P<.01) cm2/100 kg for REA;−.55 (P<.01),−.30 and −.39 (P<.05) percentage for RY and .09, −.14 and .48 (P<.05) for QG. Direct effects of Angus breeding were positive for QG, FOE and REA and negative for CWT. Effects of Brahman breeding were negative for REA, RY and QG. The direct effects of Charolais breeding were positive for CWT and Y, but negative for FOE and QG. Angus dams had a positive effect on FOE and QG but a negative influence on RY. Brahman dams had a positive effect on RY and REA but negative effect on FOE and QG. Charolais dams had a positive effect on CWT but negative effect on REA and RY. Copyright © 1979. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1979 by American Society of Animal Science.

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